CNN’s Bakari Sellers: ‘Kanye West Is What Happens When Negroes Don’t Read’

With rap superstar and MAGA champion Kanye West scheduled to have lunch with President Donald Trump on Thursday to discuss gang violence and prison reform, CNN political commentator Bakari Sellers ripped the ‘Jesus Walks’ artist for embracing anti-intellectualism and allowing Trump to play him.

Asked by CNN anchor Don Lemon if West is being used by Trump as a political prop, Sellers noted that he wasn’t sure if that was the case but what he does know is West has done what others have done with Trump — shower the president with adulation.

“My issue with Kanye West is quite simple,” Sellers noted. “It’s that anti-intellectualism simply isn’t cool. These issues as you stated that they’re going to talk about are issues that are central issues in many African-American communities. They’re very important issues.”

He continued, “But the fact is we’re not sending Kanye West to the White House to talk about these issues because he can’t. He doesn’t have the depth to. I want to hear what Kanye West wants to do when we’re talking about criminal justice reform or prisoner re-entry. The fact is he cannot. He doesn’t have that depth.”

After highlighting a recent incident in which West said we need more STEM programs before asking someone else what STEM stood for, Sellers then referenced an infamous Chris Rock stand-up routine.

“Kanye West is what happens when Negroes don’t read, and we have this now,” Sellers declared. “And now Donald Trump is going to use it and pervert it, and he’s going to have somebody who can stand with him and take pictures.”

With fellow panelist Scott Jennings looking a bit shocked at Sellers’ remarks, Lemon and political commentator Tara Setmayer, both giggling and laughing, jumped in to point out that his colleague was simply paraphrasing a well-known Rock sketch.

Meanwhile, Setmayer made another comedic reference shortly after saying that she wants to toss West back into the “racial draft,” causing Jennings to interject and proudly point out that he knew that came from Chappelle’s Show.

Justin Baragona is the founder and publisher of Contemptor. He was previously the Cable News Correspondent for Mediaite and prior to starting Contemptor, he worked on the editorial staff of PoliticusUSA. During that time, he had his work quoted by USA Today and BBC News, among others. Justin began his published career as a political writer for 411Mania. He resides in St. Louis, MO with his wife and pets.